During my 16-plus years of service, virtually every Army medic with whom I have worked has been affectionately called "Doc." Once a medic earns that nickname, he or she has truly been accepted by Soldiers as someone they trust with their lives. However, one "Doc" here in the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood trumps them all. Staff Sergeant Zackary Filip, a medic currently assigned to 1st Cavalry Division, recently received the honor of the Army Times...read more

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I was fortunate this week to accompany 30 Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division up to the Texas Ranger / Chicago White Sox baseball game in Arlington, TX. I grew up in Texas and followed the Rangers since I was a child, so it was neat for me to be on the field. 1st Cav Soldiers unfurled the large American flag, presented the Nation's colors, sang the National Anthem and our NCO of the Year threw out the first pitch. Admittedly, I was a bit awestruck standing on the...read more

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Throughout my days, months and years of service, I’ve been so busy “Soldiering,” that I’ve never really stopped to consider that my service is part of a larger “legacy.” Seeing Army veterans recently reminded me of that. Some of my duties in "America's First Team," the 1st Cavalry Division involves contact with veterans of the division. This interaction has not only made me appreciate veterans' service, but it has also made...read more

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I used to see cell phone commercials where a mass of people known as "the network" followed around a certain cell phone user - standing by ready to support. In many ways, the "Army Family" is that network for my spouse and children. We Soldiers willingly sign up for tremendous hardships and challenges in support of our Nation. Accordingly, our families share in our burden as a spouse and dependents. They endure relocation, deployments and in...read more

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As I attended the Fort Hood Asian Pacific Heritage Celebration last week, I thought about how foreign a lot of the dance, food and cultural elements would have seemed to me before I joined the Army. Admittedly, I grew up in a small, homogenous town with limited ethnic and religious diversity. Upon joining the Army at 18 years of age, I soon learned about all kinds of religions, ethnicities and cultural influences from friends and duty locations. Most Soldiers talk about...read more

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